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'Bank of Terror' conmen had catastrophic impact on victims, court told 'Bank of terror' conmen had catastrophic impact on victims, court told
(35 minutes later)
A gang who conned pensioners out of their life savings in a £900,000 fraud linked to a “Bank of Terror” in Syria had a “catastrophic” impact on their victims, a court in London has heard. A gang who conned pensioners out of their life savings in a £900,000 fraud linked to the “bank of terror” in Syria case had a “catastrophic” impact on their victims, a court in London has heard.
The conmen posed as police officers to dupe elderly victims into handing over their money, which was then laundered and spent on foreign holidays and designer clothes.The conmen posed as police officers to dupe elderly victims into handing over their money, which was then laundered and spent on foreign holidays and designer clothes.
Gang members phoned their victims pretending to be investigating a fraud at their bank and told them they needed to transfer their money for safekeeping. They persuaded one elderly victim who had cancer to miss a doctor’s appointment to withdraw cash for them.Gang members phoned their victims pretending to be investigating a fraud at their bank and told them they needed to transfer their money for safekeeping. They persuaded one elderly victim who had cancer to miss a doctor’s appointment to withdraw cash for them.
The men, described by police as “cruel, callous and calculating” committed fraud on an “industrial” level, the Old Bailey heard. The men, described by police as “cruel, callous and calculating”, committed fraud on an “industrial” level, the Old Bailey heard.
Describing the impact on the victims, Judge Anujar Dhir said: “Some were in their 90s and some passed away before the trial took place.” She said the impact on those targeted was “catastrophic – some lost their life savings”.Describing the impact on the victims, Judge Anujar Dhir said: “Some were in their 90s and some passed away before the trial took place.” She said the impact on those targeted was “catastrophic – some lost their life savings”.
Outlining the case at the beginning of sentencing, Kevin Dent, prosecuting, said £576,000 was stolen from 18 identified victims, and another £69,000 was arranged to be obtained.Outlining the case at the beginning of sentencing, Kevin Dent, prosecuting, said £576,000 was stolen from 18 identified victims, and another £69,000 was arranged to be obtained.
But he said it was believed there are many other unidentified victims who were conned out of a further £328,000 at least. He told the court: “It is clear from those figures that this was a large-scale, sophisticated conspiracy that operated on victims in a nationwide scale. There was a method of operating, of conning the invariably elderly and vulnerable victims who were telephoned to their home addresses. But he said it was believed there were many other unidentified victims who were conned out of a further £328,000 at least. He told the court: “It is clear from those figures that this was a large-scale, sophisticated conspiracy that operated on victims in a nationwide scale. There was a method of operating, of conning the invariably elderly and vulnerable victims who were telephoned to their home addresses.
“The callers, who were part of the fraud, would pretend to be either from banks or to be law enforcement officers – police officers.”“The callers, who were part of the fraud, would pretend to be either from banks or to be law enforcement officers – police officers.”
Dent said the gang would claim there had been suspicious activity on the victims’ bank accounts and trick them into transferring money into other accounts. The method then changed and from December 2014 victims were conned into taking out large sums of money from their banks accounts and handing the cash over to the gang.Dent said the gang would claim there had been suspicious activity on the victims’ bank accounts and trick them into transferring money into other accounts. The method then changed and from December 2014 victims were conned into taking out large sums of money from their banks accounts and handing the cash over to the gang.
He said: “Those sums of cash would be brought back to their home addresses and couriers who were part of the conspiracy would travel down to parts of the country to collect the cash from the victims.”He said: “Those sums of cash would be brought back to their home addresses and couriers who were part of the conspiracy would travel down to parts of the country to collect the cash from the victims.”
The victims, some of whom have since died, were conned into making multiple trips to banks to hand over up to £130,000 in cash and cheques. Believing they were helping the police, victims were persuaded to lie to those around them about the money, the Old Bailey heard.The victims, some of whom have since died, were conned into making multiple trips to banks to hand over up to £130,000 in cash and cheques. Believing they were helping the police, victims were persuaded to lie to those around them about the money, the Old Bailey heard.
Dent said: “The victims had to deceive their own banks and to deceive their own families about what happened. We say this was a fraud that directly targets the elderly and vulnerable and plays on their insecurities, sometimes their isolation, their sense of decency.”Dent said: “The victims had to deceive their own banks and to deceive their own families about what happened. We say this was a fraud that directly targets the elderly and vulnerable and plays on their insecurities, sometimes their isolation, their sense of decency.”
The victims, the oldest of whom was 94, were from Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Bedfordshire, London and Kent.The victims, the oldest of whom was 94, were from Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Bedfordshire, London and Kent.
Former X Factor contestant Nathan Fagan-Gayle, 29, was convicted of laundering £20,000 from 73-year-old Elizabeth Curtis, who was duped into handing it over by a fake police officer in May 2014.Former X Factor contestant Nathan Fagan-Gayle, 29, was convicted of laundering £20,000 from 73-year-old Elizabeth Curtis, who was duped into handing it over by a fake police officer in May 2014.
Curtis was persuaded to transfer a total of about £130,000 to various accounts.Curtis was persuaded to transfer a total of about £130,000 to various accounts.
The court heard that singer-songwriter Fagan-Gayle, from Tower Hamlets in east London, went on a shopping spree and used some of the cash to hire a car in the US.The court heard that singer-songwriter Fagan-Gayle, from Tower Hamlets in east London, went on a shopping spree and used some of the cash to hire a car in the US.
In a separate trial last year, Mohamed Dahir, 23, Shakaria Aden, 22, and Yasser Abukar, 24, all from north London, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud between May 2014 and May 2015. Other defendants pleaded guilty to their part in the fraud – either as conspirators or money launderers. They are: Fahim Islam, 21, of east London; Ahmed Ahmed, 23, of north London; Makhzhumi Abukar, 23, from north London; Anrul Islam, 24, from Dagenham; and Warsame Sheik, 30, from Harrow.In a separate trial last year, Mohamed Dahir, 23, Shakaria Aden, 22, and Yasser Abukar, 24, all from north London, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud between May 2014 and May 2015. Other defendants pleaded guilty to their part in the fraud – either as conspirators or money launderers. They are: Fahim Islam, 21, of east London; Ahmed Ahmed, 23, of north London; Makhzhumi Abukar, 23, from north London; Anrul Islam, 24, from Dagenham; and Warsame Sheik, 30, from Harrow.
The juries were not told that the fraud was uncovered by the Metropolitan police’s counterterrorism command (SO15) after a separate investigation found suspicious payments into a bank account of someone who is now in Syria. The juries were not told that the fraud was uncovered by the Metropolitan police’s counter-terrorism command (SO15) after a separate investigation found suspicious payments into a bank account of someone who is now in Syria.
Speaking after the earlier convictions last December, Cdr Richard Walton, head of SO15, said: “This was a scam on a huge national scale detected by specialist financial investigators who have stopped the targeting of even more victims.Speaking after the earlier convictions last December, Cdr Richard Walton, head of SO15, said: “This was a scam on a huge national scale detected by specialist financial investigators who have stopped the targeting of even more victims.
Victims included a second world war veteran who fought at the battle of Arnhem. Dent said the con had damaged the victims’ health and independence and “their very certainty about their world has been affected through these offences”.Victims included a second world war veteran who fought at the battle of Arnhem. Dent said the con had damaged the victims’ health and independence and “their very certainty about their world has been affected through these offences”.